The Pope commented on the Gospel of Luke's account of how Jesus sent out 72 disciples to every town and place He intended to visit, so as to prepare the way for Him. The Evangelist, said the Pope, "highlights how the mission is not reserved for the twelve Apostles but also extends to other disciples. There is work for everyone in the vineyard of the Lord.
"But Christ," the Holy Father added, "does not limit Himself to sending them out, He also gives the missionaries clear and precise rules of behavior. He sends them 'in pairs,' that they may help one another and provide a testimony of fraternal love. He warns them that they will be 'like lambs in the midst of wolves,' in other words they will have to be peaceful in the face of everything and bring a message of peace in all situations. They cannot carry clothing or money, but must live from what Providence provides. They must cure the sick as a sign of God's mercy. Where they are rejected they must leave, limiting themselves to warning people about the responsibility of refusing the Kingdom of God."
"May this Gospel awaken in all the baptized an awareness of being missionaries of Christ, called to prepare the way for Him with words and with the witness of their lives!"
